Valve assemblies are used in the oil and gas industries to divert the flow of oil or gas to various locations, e.g., to a well test, storage tank, and the treating facility. However, prior art valve assemblies were prone to failure because the actuator shaft (also called an “actuator output shaft” herein) would move from side-to-side in all directions (360°). This movement wears down the parts and eventually leads to failure. Additionally, the prior art designs would often come unscrewed, which also lead to failure of the valve assembly.
Accordingly, there exists a significant need for a valve assembly with little to no movement of the actuator shaft in a side-to-side direction. Further, there is a need for a valve assembly used in the oil and gas industry with components that will not come unscrewed after the valve assembly is placed in the oil or gas line.
Due to the numerous limitations associated with the prior art described above, the following disclosure describes an improved valve assembly that employs an adapter device that is reliable and that adapts the actuator to the valve. The novel features of the valve assembly described herein provide a more reliable valve assembly that is not prone to failure once it is placed in the oil and gas line.